One Hundred Moments
by Neo Horizon
Summary: A collection of short stories about Youko and Sei. They were friends first, lovers later and everything else in between. Follow them through the happy times and the sad in these one hundred snapshots of their lives. (40/100 complete)
1. Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Notes: **Youko x Sei is my favorite paring from Konno Oyuki's _Maria-sama ga Miteru_. I hope I did them justice. The prompts come from lover100, a variation of fanfic100 on LiveJournal. The inspiration comes from Yosane of DeviantArt and her beautiful drawing of Youko and Sei entitled 'Tied'. Thank you, it will continue to be a wonderful muse. :)

I plan to post more sets of 10 as I finish them, so keep an eye on this if you're interested.

* * *

**Youko x Sei: 100 Moments, Part 1  
**Failure, Discovery, Honesty, Haunted, First Meetings, Kinky, Water, Sanctuary, Heat**, **Resolutions

* * *

**91. Failure - Sleeping Beauty**

Sei reclined on the seat under the window in the Rose Mansion with her eyes closed, enjoying the summer breeze. Youko thought that she was breathtaking. Her clean features wore an expression that was relaxed, yet melancholic. The wind ruffled her hair, making Sei look like the sleeping heroine of a fairy tale. Impulsively, Youko leaned closer to Sei, hoping to play the role of the dashing prince. But as their faces neared and Youko licked her lips in anticipation, Sei stirred ever so slightly, causing Youko to retreat. Sei remained asleep, but Youko was now reluctant to awaken her.

* * *

**05. Discovery - Chocolate Surprise I**

The bag of homemade chocolates in her skirt pocket was like a lead weight. Now that Valentine's Day was ending, Youko felt foolish for having brought them to school.

"Youko!" a voice called, and she turned to find herself looking into Sei's cheerful face. "What have we here?" Sei asked, and only too late did Youko realize that she had subconsciously pulled out the bag of chocolates. Sei grabbed it and dangled the chocolates in front of Youko's blushing face. "And who might these be for?" she asked smugly.

"They were from Sachiko," Youko swiftly lied. Her satisfaction was quickly erased by the look of disappointment on Sei's face.

* * *

**018. Honesty - ****Chocolate Surprise ****II**

Taking back the bag of chocolates, with her face ablaze from embarrassment, Youko abruptly said "Gokigenyou," and turned away. She managed to take three steps before Sei threw her arms around her from behind.

"Now now, don't be like that," Sei whispered coyly. The gentle tone in her voice sent a profound wave of emotion through Youko's heart. Pinning Youko's arms to her sides, Sei plucked the chocolates from Youko's hand again and slowly began to open the bag. When the dark haired girl did not protest, she extracted one piece of chocolate and placed it in her mouth. "Mmm," Sei purred, still holding Youko from behind. "Thanks for the chocolate."

"...you're welcome."

* * *

**053. Haunted - Past Life**

Shiori. Years had passed since her 17th birthday, the painful day of parting, but memories of Shiori still ravaged Sei's heart. The intensity of her longing had lessened as days went by, but there were some lonely nights that were too great for her to face alone. They were no longer high school classmates, but there was only one person Sei could trust to indulge her when she was in such a mood. Picking up her phone, she dialed.

"Youko," Sei breathed, her voice heavy with sorrow.

There was a moment of pause. "I'll be there in 1 hour," promised a compassionate voice.

* * *

**006. First Meetings - First-Name Basis**

Youko was surprised when Rosa Gigantea en bouton brought Sei to a meeting one day and announced Sei to be her petite souer. They were classmates, but had hardly spoken to each since a brief exchange where Sei referred to her as a meddler. So when Rosa Gigantea en bouton brought Sei before her for introductions, Youko greeted her formally.

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Gigantea en bouton petite souer."

"What's the matter, _Youko_?" Sei asked, emphasizing the lack of honorific on her name. Youko was taken aback by the intimacy of Sei's address. "There's no need to speak to me so formally, is there?" she asked with a mischievious smile.

"Ara, Youko-chan," mused Rosa Gigantea en bouton. "I had no idea you and Sei were such good friends."

"Me either," thought Youko, but she managed to keep her composure and smiled.

* * *

**052. Kinky - Birthday Request**

"Sei...!" Youko growled. Apprehension had turned into annoyance and was now turning into anger. She was blinded-folded, half-naked, and bound to a chair at the request of the birthday girl, Sei. After much coercion, Youko had finally allowed her wrists to be bound from behind. She had even allowed Sei to open her blouse and unzip her jeans with her mouth, and refrained from complaining as Sei stripped her down to her underwear and tied her ankles to the chair. But then Sei brought out a blindfold, and it was all downhill after that. With her vision obscured, Sei had fallen silent and was now probably leering at her half-naked body while Youko struggled.

As soon as she was freed from this chair, Sei was dead.

* * *

**032. Water - Downpour**

The rain came down upon them without warning. Sei and Youko took shelter in the nearest building, which happened to be the old greenhouse. As Youko shut the door behind them, Sei looked around the greenhouse with distaste. Painful memories of herself and Shiori being caught here in the rain began to resurface in her heart, causing Sei to panic and reach for the door. As though Youko understood the root of Sei's panic, she quickly embraced Sei and ordered her to close her eyes.

"Take a deep breath, and focus on the sound of the rain."

Sei did as she was told and breathed in the pleasant scent of Youko's damp hair. With the greenhouse out of view and Shiori's scent masked by Youko's, Sei heartache slowly subsided.

* * *

**094. Sanctuary - Embrace**

Sei felt safe within Youko's arms. They accepted her warmly, taking her in like a stray cat in need of a home. There were few people she trusted more than Youko, so she knew that nothing could harm her as she was held within this protective embrace. She breathed in Youko's scent, basked in her gentle touch, and was grateful that such comfort existed. But both of them were prideful, so these moments were rare as neither could admit that they needed the other's touch. Therefore, Sei burrowed herself deeply into Youko's breasts now, cherishing this precious moment of security.

* * *

**040. Heat - Tough Luck**

It was impossibly hot in the Rose Mansion. Youko had come to finish some work, but she quickly gave up and moved to the seat by the window. Her collar was in disarray around her sweaty neck and she sat with her legs spread wide, but Youko was hot, so lady-like manners be damned!

"Youko, moooove," Sei whined, coming over to where she sat. Clearly the heat was affecting her, too. "You're in my seat!"

"Tough luck," was Youko's weary reply. She started fanning herself with a piece of paper. Without warning, Sei threw herself on Youko's lap and rested her head against Youko's shoulder.

"Sei, there's no way either of us will cool down like this."

"Tough luck," Sei pouted. Youko sighed and began to fan them both.

* * *

**008. Resolutions - Never Again**

Tonight was a mistake. It could never happen again. Youko slipped out of the futon quietly and gathered her clothing. She dressed quickly, keeping her eyes on Sei's sleeping form all the while. She wanted to escape before Sei awoke, before she could be confronted and possibly even enticed back into bed. Never again, Youko told herself as she vainly tried to smooth her wrinkled shirt and straighten her hair. She picked up her purse, opened the door, and gave Sei's peaceful face one last look. Never again, Youko told herself firmly, but her resolution was already beginning to waver.


	2. Beauty of a Rose

**Youko x Sei: 100 Moments**, **Part 2**  
Beauty, Could Have, Love, Anger, Voice, Mine, Nothing, Dreams, Patience, Act

* * *

**002. Beauty - Beauty of a Rose  
**

"This crimson rose is so lovely," Youko murmured idly, picking up a fallen rose petal that had landed on the table. The vase between them held three roses, each one representing the three Rose families.

"You narcissist," Sei smiled.

"Perhaps," Youko agreed, laying down the silky petal. "But don't you feel the same way when you look at your own white rose?"

Sei pondered the question for a moment, then picked up a fallen white petal. "A white rose is only beautiful when it's positioned like this," she decided, placing her petal on top of the red one, causing Rosa Chinesis to blush.

* * *

**060. Could Have - Her Wish**

Youko watched Sei from the shadows of a nearby building, feeling a familiar sorrow in her chest. The blond-haired third year stood under the shade of a blooming cherry blossom tree, her arms open to the heavens. Sei was heartbroken and lonely, everything that Youko did not want her to be. For a moment, Youko wished that she could have been a new student entering Lillian this year so that she might have the chance to warm Sei's heart. She wanted to be the one who would hold Sei's hand and make the vow to stay by her side until she graduated. Jealously colored Youko's heart at this moment, be she understood that she could not be selfish.

For Sei's sake, Youko prayed that there was a first year out there who could fulfill her impossible wish.

* * *

**033. Love - A Sincere Emotion**

As Youko gazed down at Sei with affection brimming in her eyes, Sei felt something awaken in her heart. She took in the sight of Youko's shy smile, the faint blush on her cheeks, the gentle way her hair fell into her eyes, and she loved it all. Gazing back at Youko, her heart swelled with emotion as Sei realized that she had fallen in love. She tenderly caressed Youko's cheek with her fingertips, her eyes shimmering earnestly.

"Aishiteru," she whispered gently, praying that Youko heard the sincerity in her voice. "I love you."

Youko's eyes slowly widened at these words. And then, to Sei's surprise, she began to cry. Large tears rolled down Youko's cheek, and Sei wiped them away with a kind smile. Somehow, she loved Youko even more.

* * *

**037. Anger - Actions and Words**

They were arguing, something that rarely happened between Youko and Sei. Usually one would get angry while the other remained aloof, calmly bringing the fight to an end, but this time they were both too heated to take on that role. With her frustration at its limit, Youko raised her hand and slapped Sei across the face. Sei's cheek burned with the force of the blow, but no one looked more horrified than Youko. She brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. She apologized quickly and turned away, but Sei put her arms around Youko and hugged her tightly, grateful for Youko's outburst. Until that slap, Sei had never realized how much Youko actually cared.

* * *

**086. Voice - Unspoken**

Judging by the squeals of protest on the other side of the door, Youko knew exactly what to expect when she entered the student council room. The moment the door opened, Sei discontinued her groping let go of a struggling Yumi. The first year offered a grateful "gokigenyou" to Youko before grabbing her belongings and running out of the room.

"Why must you always terrorize poor Yumi-chan?"

"Terrorize? I thought she enjoyed it."

Youko sighed. "You should pick on someone your own size, Sei."

"Oh ho," Sei said, raising an eyebrow at Youko. "Perhaps you're offering your warm body to the mercy of my hands?"

Youko glared wordless at Sei, but secretly her heart was dying to say "yes".

* * *

**068. Mine - A Question of Sharing**

Sei rested her head on Youko's chest, enjoying the feeling of Youko's fingers as they combed through her hair. Their eaten bentou boxes sat nearby, a reminder that lunch would be ending soon.

"What will we say," Youko wondered aloud, "if a student comes across us like this?"

"We'll ask her to join in," Sei decided sleepily.

Youko laughed at the carefree response and pushed herself up on her arms. "Is it that easy for you to agree to share me with someone else?"

"But you're mine," Sei declared immediately, lifting her head and staring at Youko with a sharpened look of confusion. "How can you be shared with anyone else?" Sei was so adamant in her response that even Youko felt that she had a point.

* * *

**090. Nothing - Emptiness**

Sei's hands were in Youko's hair, her warm lips were against Youko's neck. Slender fingers trailed their way downward, urgently lifting up Youko's shirt, desperately pulling down her bra. She wanted to beg Sei to stop, to save herself the heartache of waking up alone tomorrow morning, but the feel of Sei's warm hands made skin hum and she could focus on nothing else but that.

Sei was going to use her again tonight, just like she always did, and Youko was going to let her. Her pants were being attacked now, so she lay back on the bed and lifted her hips to allow Sei to remove them. Fingers dipped into the waistband of her panties, eagerly tearing them off. Sei did not even look at her as she went down on Youko, burying her face out of sight. Tears were streaming down Youko's cheeks now, a mix of pleasure from this moment, yet sorrow from the emptiness she would soon feel. One day she would ask for more. But for tonight, this was enough.

* * *

**051. Dreams - Peaceful Sleep**

In the days and weeks following Shiori's departure, Sei would dream of Shiori every night without fail. The Shiori of her dreams would capture her heart and then break it each time, causing Sei to wake up tears. Dream-Shiori tortured her mercilessly for the longest time, until one night when dream-Youko appeared. Dream-Youko coddled her, dried her tears, and told her that everything would be all right. Dream-Youko protected her, and smiled at her, and allowed Sei to awaken without tears. From then on, dream-Youko appeared to comfort dream-Sei whenever dream-Shiori left, and from then on, real-Sei slept in peace.

* * *

**042. Patience - One Step Back I**

Sei's feelings for Youko hit her over the head like a baseball bat. All at once, Sei realized that the friendly affection she had once felt for Youko had become a full-blown lust that consumed all of her attention. Crap. Now she had to take a step back from Youko.

"When you find something that's important to you, remember to take a step back from it," her onee-sama had once told her.

The following day, Sei was sitting by herself in the Rose Mansion, enjoying a cup of tea, when Youko entered. The pair locked eyes, and Sei could feel the familiar desire to flirt rise in her heart. From the way that Youko smiled back at her, Sei knew that the feeling was mutual.

"Rosa Gigantea," Youko murmured, coming to stand behind Sei. She slowly reached past Sei, pressing too closely against her to be considered polite. "May I freshen your cup of tea?"

Sei's heart was about to burst with the longing she felt for Youko. But remembering the advice, she quickly took a deep breath and put her hand firmly around her cup.

"No thank you," she replied evenly, without a trace of flirtatiousness. Sei looked up with Youko, identifying with the disappointment on the other girl's face. "I'll get it myself," she said, wondering if her onee-sama's advice would really pay off in the end.

* * *

**035. Act - One Step Back II**

"Ahh..." Youko responded knowingly, a look of understanding replaced the look of disappointment. Sei eyed her curiously.

"'Ahh' what?" Sei demanded.

"'Ahh', I see you finally noticed," Youko said, smiling a bit too smugly for Sei's liking. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice."

"Notice what?"

"Your feelings."

Sei said nothing, wondering whether or not Youko really understood the situation.

"I see that you're following your onee-sama's advice to a T."

Ah, so Youko really did understand.

"You're being a little too presumptuous about this, aren't you?" Sei asked, trying to regain control of the situation, but Youko did not take the bait.

"I'll honor your decision to take a step back from me, but remembering that I'm waiting for you, Sei. And remember that I don't like to wait."

Sei met her unwavering stare with a defeated smile. Only Youko could have seen through her facade, and only Youko would have been willing to put with her. "I'll keep that in mind," Sei promised, thankful that Youko had been the one she took a step back from.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Notes to be coming soon. I'm too tired tonight. XD Hope you enjoyed reading this. Reviews always welcomed and encouraged!


	3. The Sweetest Thing

**Youko x Sei: 100 ****Moments, Part 3**  
Kisses, Absurd, Transmogrify, Night, Faith, Surprise, Perspective, Hardest Truth, Home, Hunger

* * *

**013. Kisses - The Sweetest Thing**

Sei held Youko gently, her hands wrapped around Youko's shoulders. She looked at Youko with an expression that few had ever seen, an expression of pure love. Under her powerful gaze, Youko could feel her heartbeat quicken. She had wished for the longest time that Sei would return her affections. But now that her wish had come true, she felt a jolt of fear in her chest, a realization that she would finally get to experience her greatest desires. Sei started to lean into her, but Youko quickly pressed her hands against Sei's chest, bringing her to a stop.

"Don't be scared," Sei whispered tenderly. She touched her forehead against Youko's with a smile that said "trust me," and Youko had no choice but to comply. She pulled gently on Sei's blouse, letting her know that it was okay to move closer.

They came together slowly, meeting each other in a soft kiss. Sei treated her delicately, pressing her lips against Youko's lips gently. Youko's mouth was filled with Sei's taste, and it was warm and inviting. This first kiss with Sei had been the first kiss of her life, and she would always remember it as the sweetest thing she had ever tasted.

* * *

**016. Absurd - Lollipop**

"Lollipop, lollipop, oh, lolli, lolli, lolli, lollipop!" Sei sang, as she entered the Rose Mansion. Youko, who instantly recognized the tune, raised an eyebrow at the strawberry lollipop that was dangled before her.

"Gokigenyou, _Yumi-chan_," Youko greeted Sei with a smirk.

Sei's bubbly mood was unaffected by the tease. "Yumi-chan should be more insulted by that than me. And besides," Sei said, unwrapping the sweet, "this is for you." She stuck the lollipop into a surprised Youko's mouth, but Youko's lips closed around the candy nonetheless. Sei appeared giddy with excitement as Youko sucked on the lollipop, and a sudden, paranoid thought came to Youko. What if Sei had done something to the candy?

Youko quickly pulled the lollipop out of her mouth, ready to ask Sei what she had done. But as the candy left her lips, Sei instantly snatched it out of her hand and popped it into her own mouth.

"Mm..." Sei murmured, with a satisfied smile.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Just enjoying my Youko-flavored lollipop. Anyway, see you later!" Sei waved, exiting the Rose Mansion with a grin.

* * *

**055. Transmogrify - Past, Present, and Future**

Youko loved the long-haired Sei of her distant past, a girl who was moody and opinionated, and wore her heart on her sleeve. Although this Sei cared very little for Youko's meddlesome behavior, Youko had watched out for her anyway, protecting her at every chance she received. Sei's heart had been broken by Shiori's departure, an event that Youko felt she could have prevented. But Sei's resilience through her sorrow had made Youko love her even more.

Youko loved the mid-length-haired Sei of her Rose days, a girl who smiled and laughed and made Youko's heart feel light. The post-Shiori, pre-college Sei carried the fresh scars of her past, but somehow learned to be more friendly and outgoing. She no longer needed Youko's protection, but had come to appreciate her friendship. Sei's newfound affection for Youko's meddling only served to fuel Youko's love even more.

Youko loved the short-haired Sei of her present, a girl who possessed a limitless supply of optimism and confidence. She knew the Sei of the present would soon be the Sei of the future, a woman who knew what she wanted and would one day see her dreams come true. As she looked at Sei, Youko realized that she loved every form of Sei, past, present, and future. And when she looked at the Sei of her present, she found that Sei now looked back at her. And more than anything else, Youko loved the Sei who loved her back.

* * *

**063. Hunger - A "Good" Breakfast**

Sei looked at the mangled pile of food in front of her. It appeared to be an attempt at omurice, an egg omelette stuffed with rice, but it was rather poorly made. Youko beamed at Sei as she set down the plate.

"Eat up," she told Sei with a proud smile. Sei bravely picked up a spoonful of soggy rice and charred egg before looking around.

"Where's your plate? Aren't you eating too?"

"Not this morning. I have a lecture I need to get to, but I wanted to make you a good breakfast first," she said, taking off her apron and gathering her books. "Taste it before I leave."

"Uh, sure..."

As Sei swallowed a spoonful of the omurice and forced herself to smile, Sei thought that she was a much nicer person than Youko gave her credit for.

* * *

**028. Night - Moonlit Tears**

Youko woke up in the middle of the night to discover she was not sleeping in her own bed. Quickly looking around the room, she found Sei sitting by the window and remembered that this was Sei's onee-sama's house, and that Shiori had left Tokyo only last night. Wordlessly, Youko crossed the room and came to sat by Sei. Tears were flowing freely down Sei's eyes, glistening in the soft moonlight, but she did not move to wipe them away or hide them from Youko. She continued to stare at the moon, releasing her grief quietly to the world. There was nothing Youko could say to comfort Sei at this moment, so she simply sat by her friend in silence, staring at the moon and waiting for night to turn into day.

* * *

**027. Faith - See You Soon**

With her diploma in hand, the finality of Youko's last day as a Lillian student finally sunk in. Sei stood beside her, smiling at Youko as she waded through her thoughts. There was so many unfinished moments within their relationship, but there was nothing they could do about it. With an apologetic smile, Youko leaned into Sei and kissed her softly, her lips barely leaving a touch on Sei's. "Thank you for all of the memories, Sei. Sayonara," she said, turning away.

"Sayonara?" Sei asked, catching Youko's wrist and turning her around. "You make it sound like we'll never see each other again."

Youko couldn't help but scoff at her naivety. "This is where we part ways, Sei. We're going to different schools, pursuing different futures. I doubt we'll be seeing each other again any time soon."

"You don't want to see me again?" asked Sei, her brow furrowing with concern.

"Well of course I do, but sometimes life doesn't go the way you want."

"And sometimes it goes exactly the way you want. Just have a little faith," Sei smiled confidently. "If you want to say a good-bye, then use this. 'Ja ne,'" she said, using a gentle tone that gave Youko hope. See you soon.

* * *

**079. Surprise - Birthday Gift**

On her 17th birthday, Youko was surprised to find Sei approaching her with a beautiful red rose in hand. Although the Lillian campus was a bit chilly today, Youko suddenly found that it wasn't quite as cold as she had initially thought.

"Happy birthday," Sei smiled, handing her the rose. Youko received it with a shy "thank you," feeling very much like a princess who was being courted by a handsome prince.

_"I'm surprised she actually remembered,"_ Youko marveled a bit later as she walked back to her classroom with her lovely gift in hand.

"Mizuno-san!" a voice called out to her. Youko turned and saw one of her teachers rushing toward her with a stern look on her face. "Mizuno-san, is that one of the expensive red roses that were stolen out of the headmaster's private garden this morning?"

"W-what?" Youko asked stunned. She took a closer look at her gift, an untrimmed rose and with its thorns intact, and realized that the surprise gift was truly full of surprises.

* * *

**072. Perspective - Order of Importance**

There was a period in Sei's life where she truly believed that Shiori was all she needed to survive. After Shiori's departure, it was Youko who taught her that there was more in life to care about. There was the Yamayurikai, her friends, her classmates, her education, and her future. But as time went on, bits and pieces of the list fell away. She graduated from the Yamayurikai and her classmates. Friends grew apart and she finished college. And suddenly, like some kind of trick, Seei found that her list of things to care about consisted only of Youko. As long as she could see Youko in the morning, Sei would have a happy day. As long as they met for dinner or shared a phone call, the night wasn't so lonely. The irony was not lost on Sei that, under Youko's guidance, a list consisting of solely Shiori grew and shrank until it again consisted of only one person. But whether it had been Youko's intention or not, Sei now felt that the list of her most important things in life was now complete.

* * *

**007. Hardest Truth - I Wish You Well  
**

Sei broke up with Youko. It was the hardest thing she had even done, even harder than mustering up the courage to return Youko's feelings just shortly after graduation.

But she was bad for Youko, and Sei knew this for a fact. Youko wanted something more, something lasting, something with a future. She wanted love and family, and Sei was too selfish to offer any of that. All she could do was take Youko's love until Youko had nothing left to give.

So she said her goodbye and turned her back on Youko's tears, praying that Youko would be well. In time, Sei knew that Youko would be fine without her. But Sei wondered what would become of herself without Youko at her side.

* * *

**010. Home - Feels Like Home**

Youko opened the door to her apartment to find a drunken Sei standing in the hallway. She rolled her eyes at the too-familiar scene, but invited her in all the same.

"You've got to stop doing this," Youko scolded her friend as she began to lay pillows and blankets onto her sofa. "I'm starting to feel like you only ever visit me when you get too drunk to make it back to your own apartment."

"That's not true," Sei laughed with a bit of a slur to her voice.

"Are you sure? Because it seems-"

Youko was cut off mid-sentence as Sei pushed her onto the sofa and climbed on top. She pressed Youko deep into the cushions and lay her head between Youko's breasts.

"...Sei?" Youko asked, gently stroking Sei's hair.

"I don't come here because I'm drunk," Sei answered softly, closing her eyes. "I come here because it feels like home."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I never did get around to writing notes for the last chapter. I can't even remember what I wanted to say.

Well in this batch, we get to see a kiss between Youko and Sei. More than one kiss actually. I didn't even realize it, but none of the first 20 stories contained a kiss! It wasn't on purpose, but I was pretty amazed that I managed to write 20 scenes between Youko and Sei and none of them contained a kiss.

The lollipop story was inspired by P.D. Pirl's "Rosa Chinensis Flavor" one-shot. Go read it. It's hilarious. :)

Anywho, read, enjoy, comment. In that order, please!


	4. Crumbs

**Youko x Sei: 100 ****Moments, Part 4**  
Dirt, Summer Love, Frustration, Need, Grace, Healing, Make-Up, Should Have, Opportunity, Innocence

* * *

**038. Dirt - Crumbs**

The slices of cake that Youko brought to Sei's apartment were only a few bites away from being completely devoured. With an ample amount of laughter and merriment, the two former Roses worked their way through three layers of sponge cake, strawberries, and whipped cream.

"You have some frosting right here," Youko said, pointing to a corner of her mouth to indicate the portion of Sei's face that was covered in cream.

"Oh? Perhaps you could get it for me?" Sei teased, tilting her mouth toward Youko with a devilish grin.

Youko responded with a playful glare. "I am not you and you are not Yumi-chan. Wipe it yourself."

"I didn't ask you to wipe it, did I?" came Sei's reply, the flirtatious tone growing in her voice. "Lick it for me."

Youko's smile faltered briefly as she contemplated the seriousness of Sei's request. A moment later, she leaned in slowly towards Sei. When the other girl did not retreat, Youko swiftly licked the corner of Sei's mouth and removed the offending bit of cream.

"Gochizousama," Youko mumbled, much to Sei's delight.

* * *

**41. Summer Love - Next Summer**

In the final days of summer, Youko found herself pushing through her last bit of homework while Sei lounged beside her. How lucky for Sei that Lillian Women's University handed out very little summer work while her own university seemed to want to smother her with it.

"Youko, let's go to Hokkaido this summer."

Youko looked up from her textbook in disbelief. "THIS summer?" she asked incredulously. "THIS summer is almost over Sei, and classes are starting again in a week. If you wanted to go somewhere THIS summer, you should have planned it out sooner."

"Fine, Kyoto then. It's much closer. Let's go this weekend."

With an exasperated sigh, Youko returned to her mountain of assignments. Rather than lose her temper, it was just easier to stop paying attention to Sei.

"So... this weekend then?" Sei asked again.

"What makes you think I'll be done this weekend?" Youko answered, distracted by her homework.

"OK, next summer then."

"What makes you think we'll still be together next summer?"

A poignant silence followed, one in which Youko knew she had crossed a line. The heat and exhaustion had loosened her tongue, causing her to say something that should not have been said. She cast a sidelong glance at Sei, glimpsed the hurt expression, and instantly felt guilty.

"Next summer," Youko said, shutting her textbook firmly. She circled the table to the Sei's side and lay down beside her, intertwining their fingers and their affections. "Hokkaido and Kyoto next summer. It's a promise."

* * *

**014. Frustration - Distance Between Lovers**

Sei had done it for herself. She told Youko that she wanted sex and nothing more. This was Sei's way of distancing herself from the responsibilities of being a lover, the emotional burden Youko was sure to bring. So for months, Sei would visit Youko only in the evenings when it was convenient for herself and always left Youko soon after.

But slowly, without realizing it, Sei began to long for the emotional burden. She wanted to be with Youko all the time, to share meals together, to wake up in the morning with Youko in her arms. But Sei had already laid down the rules. How could she go back on the mantra that she had hammered into Youko for months now?

"Let's keep this simple."

But now the emotions in her heart, the love and longing she felt, were anything but simple. Originally, Sei had done this for herself. Only too late did she realize that she had done this **to** herself.

* * *

**064. Need - Taking the Day Off**

Youko sat on the corner of her bed. She tried to ignore the sleepy fuzz in her brain and Sei's light snoring as she began to dress for work. Her fingers were slowly buttoning up her blouse when she heard the disturbance in Sei's breathing. Moments later, Sei's delicate white fingers gently took hold of her wrist.

"Sei?" she murmured softly, turning to look at the tousle-haired girl who had rolled toward her and buried her face in Youko's lap. "Go back to sleep."

"Mmm," came the muffled reply. "I'm still sleeping. I'm dreaming of you right now."

Youko smiled and tried to release herself from Sei's hold. "I have work in an hour and I need to get dressed."

"I think you mean you need to get undressed." Sei's hand sneaked around Youko's back, and she realized with bemusement that Sei had skillfully unhooked her bra. "Why not take the day off and get back into bed with me?"

"But the office needs me..."

Sei gently pulled Youko back onto the mattress and slowly climbed on top. "**I** need you," Sei whispered into her ear, sending a chill down Youko's spine.

The needs of the office could wait until tomorrow.

* * *

**19. Grace - Breathtaking**

While in the presence of others, Sei tried not to look too closely at Youko. If she did, Sei knew she would be captivated by the elegance of Youko's existence. There was a profound beauty in everything that Youko did. Sei was enthralled by the way her hips swayed as she walked, the way her lips moved as she spoke. One look into Youko's eyes made Sei feel like her thoughts were being read. Youko was much too ethereal to look at, far too delicate to touch.

Sei felt that one as sullied as herself did not deserve to witness Youko's grace.

* * *

**046. Healing - A Kind Fever**

Youko had a fever of 102. Where many might cry at the idea of having such a high temperature, Youko was actually kind of enjoying her illness.

"Open wide," Sei gently instructed her and tipped the last spoonful of warm rice gruel into her mouth. Youko settled back into the futon wearily, exhausted from the effort of consuming her dinner. "Do you want any water?"

"Ugh…" she groaned in the negative, her head throbbing with pain. She could feel Sei hovering above her, radiating with concern. Sei's fingers gently stroked her hair and placed a cold towel onto her forehead.

"Why are you only nice to me when I'm sick?" Youko wanted to ask, but the words were unable to pass through her sore throat. Instead, she gratefully accepted Sei's care in silence and hoped she could remember to ask her question after Sei nursed her back to health.

* * *

**084. Make-Up - The Way You Care**

Sei was late again. This was a habit of hers, one that Youko had learned to tolerate. But after countless late arrivals, Youko had had enough.

"After all this time, do you still not care about me at all?" Youko demanded after waiting over an hour for Sei to show for a dinner date.

"Huh? What are you saying...?"

"You always arrive late and you never call to warn me. Is this the way you show me how much you care about me?"

"Youko."

Sei stopped her mid rant with a passionate kiss. In that instant, the delayed dinner plans were forgotten and Youko pushed her anger aside while Sei's feelings coursed through her. When they pulled away, Sei was starring at her with more sincerity than she had ever shown before.

"**That** is the way I show you how much I care about you."

* * *

**062. Should Have - The Strong Side of You**

Youko rolled over in her futon, sadly finding that she was alone. She should not have expected Sei to be there, but Youko had hoped for it anyway. The truth was that years had gone by since she shared a futon with Sei.

"I hate the strong side of you," Sei had once told her.

Youko wasn't mad at that time, and even now she felt the same. How could she be mad at the truth? Youko was headstrong, she was stubborn, and after nearly 2 years of a loosely defined relationship with Sei, she still could not admit what Sei meant to her. So when Sei asked for more from Youko or threatened to leave, Youko allowed her to leave.

It was years after her painful day of parting with Sei, and Youko cursed her strong personality each day. Sei should be sleeping next to her right now, and Youko should have said, "I love you," so many years ago.

* * *

**043. Opportunity - Whatever You Want**

Sei was approaching her with a kind, seductive smile on her lips. She pressed Youko against the wall, trapping her there. Youko pushed back against Sei's chest, struggling to free herself, but Sei held her firmly. The smile on Sei's lips was kind and seductive, yet cruel at the same time. Youko stared back into the eyes blue eyes that danced before her merrily.

"You're drunk," Youko said. It was an observation, but she also meant it as a plea, as another way of saying, "you wouldn't be doing this if you were sober."

"You're right, I _am_ drunk," Sei said, "but think of this as an opportunity to do whatever you want to me."

* * *

**030. Innocence - Teddy Bear**

Youko entered her apartment and was surprised to find Sei sleeping on her sofa. The blonde was sprawled across the cushions, her eyes shut and her mouth opened wide in an unabashedly relaxed expression. As Youko crossed her living room, she wondered if it was worth waking Sei to reprimand her for coming over when she had told Sei that she needed to study all evening. But one look at Sei's peacefully sleeping face melted the anger in her heart.

She turned to walk away and an arm shot out and wrapped around her knees, pulling her backwards onto the sofa. Youko cried out as she fell heavily onto Sei, who appeared undisturbed by the force of Youko's weight.

"W-what are you doing?!"

"I sleep better with a teddy bear," came Sei's sleepy reply.

Youko smiled and turned to face Sei and tapped her lightly on the nose. "Is that all I am to you? A teddy bear?"

"No, you're more than that..." she murmured with her eyes still closed and an affectionate smile on her lips. Moments later, her heavy breathing of sleep resumed. Youko decided to close her eyes as well.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Over 2 years later, a new set of Youko x Sei moments appears! I was re-watching a bit of the anime recently and it made me remember how much I liked this pairing. I found most of the stories above already written out in their entirety in an old file back from 2011, so I basically just edited what I had and wrote in two new pieces. In terms of writing, it feels a lot like I cheated even though I actually wrote everything myself (even if I don't remember doing it). If only all writing could be this easy, lol.


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